Međimurje Secession Day in Croatia Date in the current year: January 9, 2018

Međimurje is the smallest and a the same time the most densely populated county (županija) in Croatia. For a long time, the historical and geographical region of Međimurje was part of Hungary, but on January 9, 1919, it officially seceded from Hungary and became part of what would become Yugoslavia. The anniversary of this event is marked in Croatia as Međimurje Secession Day.

Međimurje covers the plains between two rivers – the Drava and the Mura. The first organized human settlements here can be traced back to the Stone Age. The region was temporarily occupied by the Hungarians in the late 9th century, but it officially became part of Croatia in 925.

In 1102, the Kingdom of Croatia entered a personal union with the Kingdom of Hungary. When Ferdinand I became King of Bohemia and Hungary in 1526, and King of Croatia in 1527, Međimurje became administratively part of both the Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary and the Habsburg Kingdom of Croatia.

Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, Međimurje fell into civil disorder. The newly formed National Council of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs sent troops that crossed the Mura and forced Hungarians to abandon the region.

On January 9, 1919, Međimurje announced its secession from Hungary and joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes that would become Yugoslavia in 1929. After the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the region remained part of Croatia.